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India snubs China, says issues with Pakistan a bilateral matter

LiveMint 13-07-2017PTI

New Delhi: India on Thursday said its position on bilaterally resolving all matters with Pakistan including the Kashmir issue had not changed, in what was a virtual snub to China which had offered to mediate in the long-pending India-Pakistan issue.

In a reference to ties between India and Pakistan, an external affairs ministry spokesperson said the central issue between the two countries was “cross-border terrorism perpetrated on India”. Terrorism was impacting peace and stability in the entire region, the spokesperson added.

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India’s position on addressing all issues including Kashmir with Pakistan in a bilateral framework had not changed, the spokesperson told reporters in New Delhi when asked to comment on China expressing its willingness to play a “constructive role” over Kashmir.

On the standoff between the armies of India and China in the Dokalam area, he said diplomatic channels would continue to be used for a resolution.

Asked about China’s comment that there was no “bilateral meeting” between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, the MEA spokesperson said, “There was a conversation between them. There was a range of issues that was the subject matter of the conversation.”